Wildlife Rescue Numbers on the North Shore
Does the animal need help?
An animal resting on a beach, crossing a yard or sitting beside a path is not necessarily injured. Look for bleeding, entanglement, a drooping wing, inability to stand or immediate danger from traffic and pets.
Young birds, rabbits and fawns may spend time alone while their parents are nearby. Keep pets away and ask a rehabilitator before intervening when there is no visible injury.
Key wildlife rescue numbers for the North Shore
Contact the service before transport. Do not leave wildlife at a closed building or assume that a listed number provides a pickup service.
Choose the contact by animal
- Seal or other marine mammal: Seacoast Science Center for Beverly north to the Maine border; NOAA for an uncertain location.
- Pigeon, dove or adult songbird: use Cape Ann Wildlife’s text contact.
- Injured hawk, owl or other raptor: Cape Ann Wildlife’s raptor contact or ARL Field Services.
- Gull, shorebird or other species: ask a licensed rehabilitator or wildlife hospital about intake before transport.
Before you call, get these details
- Exact town and location
- What kind of animal it appears to be
- Visible injury or unusual behavior
- Immediate danger from cars, dogs, tides or people
- Whether you can stay nearby safely until you get instructions
MassWildlife – Wildlife information
General wildlife questions and referrals to licensed rehabilitators. This is the main information office, not a 24-hour rescue dispatch line.
- Phone: 508-389-6300
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:00 pm.
- For human bites or possible rabies exposure, seek medical advice immediately.
Animal Rescue League of Boston – Field Services
ARL lists rescue work for raptors, domestic animals and livestock. For other wild species, it directs callers to rehabilitator resources. Contact local animal control or police for immediate danger.
- Phone: 617-426-9170, ext. 563
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30 am–5:30 pm.
- Wildlife focus: hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, ospreys and vultures.
Seacoast Science Center – Marine Mammal Rescue
Report live or dead seals, dolphins and other marine mammals from Beverly north to the Maine border, including Salisbury, Newburyport, Ipswich and Cape Ann.
- 24-hour hotline: 603-997-9448
- South of this area or unsure: NOAA 866-755-6622.
- Stay at least 150 feet away. Do not touch or move the animal.
New England Wildlife Center – Weymouth
The Weymouth hospital treats sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. Call to confirm intake and capacity before bringing an animal; visitor hours are not the same as wildlife admission hours.
- Wildlife hotline: 781‑682‑4878
- Wildlife admissions: Monday–Friday, 10:00 am–2:00 pm. Call ahead.
- Location: South Weymouth, MA.
Cape Ann Wildlife, Inc.
Cape Ann Wildlife lists separate text contacts for raptors and for pigeons, doves and adult songbirds. Confirm that the bird can be accepted before attempting transport.
- Raptors: Text 508-470-1930.
- Pigeons, doves and adult songbirds: Text 978-325-2501.
- For gulls, waterfowl and other species, ask about a referral rather than assuming admission.
Tufts Wildlife Clinic – North Grafton
Call and wait for a callback before coming to the clinic. Tufts does not accept healthy orphaned or abandoned baby animals; those cases need a licensed rehabilitator.
- Phone: 508-839-7918
- Confirm admission before transport.
- Location: North Grafton, MA.
Massachusetts Environmental Police
Statewide dispatch for urgent wildlife and environmental-law reports. For an immediate threat to human life or a serious accident, call 911.
- 24-hour dispatch: 1-800-632-8075
- For routine animal-care questions, use a rehabilitator or MassWildlife.
Other wildlife regions in Massachusetts
Confirm coverage with the responder before traveling with an animal.
When to call – and what to do before you dial
Avoid touching or moving the animal while you seek advice. If it is visibly injured or in immediate danger, contact the appropriate responder without waiting for a set observation period.
- Check your safety first. Do not approach closely. Keep children and pets away, and do not try to grab the animal unless a licensed rehabilitator tells you to.
- Observe from a distance. Note whether the animal can stand or move normally, and whether you see bleeding, a drooping wing, entanglement or breathing difficulty.
- Record the exact location. A street address, nearby building, beach access point, trail marker or GPS pin saves time and helps responders decide whether transport is realistic.
- Call with a clear description. Say what the animal is, what is wrong, how long it has been there, and what immediate risks are nearby such as cars, dogs, tides, fencing or fishing line.
- Do not feed or give water. Contain the animal only if a rehabilitator or responder gives instructions for that species.
- If a person is in immediate danger, call 911. For other urgent hazards, contact local animal control, police or Environmental Police as appropriate.
Many young animals in spring and early summer are not truly orphaned. A feathered young bird hopping on the ground, a hidden rabbit nest in grass or a quiet fawn alone for a while can all be normal. When in doubt, call before you touch.
Tell the responder whether the animal is on a road, near a rising tide, caught in fishing line or exposed to pets. These details help them assess urgency and access.
What helps the person on the phone most
- One clear sentence on what is wrong
- Whether the animal can stand, walk or fly
- Whether a cat, dog, car or window strike was involved
- Whether traffic, pets or the tide could reach the animal
- A photo, only if you can take it without getting closer
Do not do this while waiting
- Do not give milk, bread, crackers or pet food
- Do not pour water into the mouth
- Do not let children gather around
- Do not keep checking every minute from close range
- Do not move the animal indoors unless you are told to
Usually call now
- Bleeding, broken limb, drooping wing or head trauma
- Hit by a vehicle or window, or caught in netting, line or fencing
- Attacked by a cat or dog
- Lying on its side, unable to stand, unable to fly, or not reacting normally
- Trapped or unable to move away from traffic or another immediate hazard
Usually observe first
- Feathered young bird on the ground that is alert and hopping
- Rabbit nest in grass with babies tucked together and quiet
- Fawn resting alone for part of the day
- Healthy wild animal passing through a yard at dawn or dusk
- Adult bird calling nearby while a young bird stays low
North Shore wildlife rescue questions
What if I find a baby bird or small mammal alone?
Many young animals spend time alone while a parent feeds elsewhere. An alert fledgling on the ground, a covered rabbit nest or a resting fawn may not need rescue. Keep pets away. If you see injury, entanglement or signs of an attack, contact a rehabilitator; otherwise ask before moving the animal.
Who handles rabies concerns in Massachusetts?
After a bite, scratch or possible rabies exposure, wash any wound with soap and water and contact a healthcare professional and your local health department promptly. Do not wait for a wildlife office to open. Do not handle the animal; let animal control and public-health officials advise about testing.
Can I bring an injured wild animal to a vet?
Call first. Not every veterinary clinic accepts wildlife, and wildlife hospitals have species and capacity limits. Confirm the destination and intake instructions before transport.
Are there wildlife rehabilitators in every part of Massachusetts?
Availability depends on the species and the rehabilitator’s capacity. Some accept only particular animals, and others may be full. Ask whether they can take the animal or suggest another licensed rehabilitator.
What if a rehabilitator tells me to contain the animal?
Follow the responder’s instructions for that animal. When advised to box a small bird or mammal, use the container and lining they specify and keep it quiet, away from pets and children. Do not offer food or water unless instructed. Do not apply these steps to a seal or attempt to contain a large animal.
Who should I call for wildlife on a beach or near the tide line?
For a seal or other marine mammal from Beverly north to the Maine border, call Seacoast Science Center Marine Mammal Rescue at 603-997-9448. For another North Shore location or an uncertain boundary, call NOAA at 866-755-6622. Keep at least 150 feet away. For injured birds and land animals, use a species-appropriate rehabilitator or wildlife hospital.
Contact sources: MassWildlife; Cape Ann Wildlife — Contact and Wildlife Services; ARL — Field Services; New England Wildlife Center — Wildlife Hospital; Tufts Wildlife Clinic; Seacoast Science Center — Marine Mammal Rescue; NOAA Fisheries — Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal. Human-exposure guidance: CDC — Rabies Prevention and Control.